Pencils



Sept. 3, 1959 J. P. SHURCLIFF 2,902,977

PENCILS Filed May 14, 1957 BY JOHN PSHURCL/FF o ZW/O Z ATTORNEYS United States PENCILS John P. Shurclifi, Louisville, Ky.

. Application May 14, 1957, Serial No. 658,997

4 Claims. (Cl. 120-19) The present invention is concerned with an improvement in pencils and is more particularly directed to a holder for lengths of writing material.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a holder for one or more lengths of a material suitable for use in writing and which holder permits the manual extension or withdrawal of the writing material as desired.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a pencil which can be economically produced and which pencil can include a handle body suitable for being molded from plastic materials as well as being produced from wood or light weight metals.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide a holder for cylindrical lengths of writing lead which permits the lead to be manually moved longitudinally of said holder as required and which holder includes a flexible material cover for retaining and guiding-a portion of said lead in said holder which cover can be'repeatedly removed from and reapplied to said holder permitting manual contact with the lead when said cover is withdrawn therefrom for moving or replacing leads and also permits the movement of said lead by manual pressure on said cover when applied to said holder.

Further objects of the invention will be in part pointed out and in part obvious from the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a top view of one form of the present invention, with the flexible cover in position for being withdrawn.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the pencil with the corners of the flexible cover struck down in order to give a more streamlined effect.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pencil partly in section and with the cover positioned as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a second form of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the pencil of Fig. 7 partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken in line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the covering tape.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing wherein like and corresponding parts are designated by similar reference characters, numeral 1 indicates the holder or handle of the pencil of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, and 9, which holder is of a relatively flat elongated configuration having a flat substantially straight bottom 2 with sides 3 and 4 while a shoulder 5 is provided at one end portion having an end 6.

The opposite end portion of said holder likewise has a shoulder 7 having a straight end 8.

The bottom face 2 of the holder has upwardly slanted end portions 9 and 10, while the opposite side of said holder has a relatively flat recessed top 11 extending between shoulders 5 and 7. A semi-cylindrical recess 12 extends longitudinally of said holder for slidably receiving the lower half of a cylindrical lead 13 whereby the upper half of said lead extends above top 11. Said recess 12 is in line and communicates with a cylindrical opening 14 extending through shoulder 5 with said lead extending through said opening.

A second semi-cylindrical recess 15 is formed in the opposite end portion of top 11 extending longitudinally of handle 1 and in line and communicating with bore 16 extending through shoulder 7. A lead 17 of a cylindrical configuration is slidably mounted in recess 15 with the upper half thereof extending above top 11. Said lead also slidably extends through bore 16.

A cover tape 18 has a non-drying pressure sensitive adhesive coating upon the bottom face 19 thereof which adhesive may be of any known composition suitable for this purpose. The tape is of a flexible material such as cloth; plastic, cellophane or the like and has its adhesive face 19 covering and conected to the top 11 and leads 13 and 17, but may be withdrawn therefrom exposing either or both of said leads and can be reapplied as often as desired. a

Holder 1 has the end portions 5a and 5b of sides 3 and 4 respectively tapering into end 6. Tape 18 is of substantially rectangular configuration and of a width for overlapping the top portions of sides 3 and 4with one end portion providing tabs 18a and 18b overlapping portions 5a and 51; respectively. Similarly the opposite end portion of tape 18 provides tabs 18c and 18d overlapping side portions 7a and 71) respectively, which side portions taper in front sides 3'and 4 to end 8. Lifting any one or all of said tabs from said holder provides a grip for the fingers to lift part or all of said tape from its contact with holder 1.

The second form of pencil shown in Figs. 5-8 inclusive consists of a holder or handle 29 which is of arelatively fiat configuration having substantially straight sides 21 and22 and bottom'23. One end portion of said holder may be rounded as indicated at 24 and have an opening 25 therethrough for receiving a supporting member such as a chain hook or the like.

The top 26 of said holder is also substantially straight and extends from end 24 to a shoulder 27 at the opposite end thereof. Said shoulder 27 has a substantially straight side 28 extending laterally of said holder.

A semi-cylindrical recess 29 extends longitudinally of said holder and is provided in top 26 for slidably receiving the lower half of a cylindrical lead 30 whereby the half of said lead extends above face 26. Said recess 29 is contiguous with a bore 31 which also extends longitudinally of holder 20 through shoulder 27 having said lead 30 slidably extending therethrough.

A tape 32 of substantially the same width and length as top 26 has an adhesive coating 33 on one face thereof which adhesive is of the non-drying pressure sensitive type Well known in the art. Said adhesive face 33 covers top 26 and lead 30 and adheres the tape 32 thereto. However, said tape may be withdrawn or re-applied as required.

The sides 21 and 22 of holder 20 taper in at their end portions 34 and 35 to end 36. Tape 32 is also of a substantially rectangular configuration extending across top 26 and thus provides tabs 37 and 38 overlapping end portions 34 and 35 respectively. Lifting either or both of said tabs from holder 21 provides finger grips for withdrawing tape 32 wholly or partially from top 26 and lead 30.

In the use of either of the above described writing pencils the leads 13, 17 and 36 are placed in their respective recesses 12, 13 and 29 whereupon the covering tapes 18 and 32 are applied to the tops. Before applying the tape, the leads can be pushed along their respective Patented Sept. 8, 1959 grooves until their end portions extend beyond their respective shoulders 5, 7 and 27 a sufficient distance for writing purposes. also be moved outwardly of the holder by employing a finger or instrument against the tape above the inner end of the lead whereupon the lead will be moved. To withdraw the lead it is only necessary to push the holder With the lead against the surface whereby the lead will be retracted. This requires more than pressure ordinarily used when writing. These procedures can be alternated as is found desirable. The tapes will however under ordinary writing pressure retain the lead in its given position and the tighter the writer grips the tape, the tighter the lead will be held.

Either holder 1 or 20 can be formed by molding or pressing the same from plastics, Wood or metal or by other manners known in the trade. Tapes 18 and 32 may have a permanent adhesive coating in lieu of the nondrying type when the holder is to be used for only one supply of lead.

Accordingly, the present device is capable of considerable modification and such changes thereto as come within the scope of the appended claims are deemed to be a part of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A writing pencil comprising a holder having a relatively flat exterior face with at least one groove provided in said face, at least one shoulder provided on at least one end of said holder and an opening extending through said shoulder in line with said groove, at least one piece of lead slidably mounted in said groove and extending 7 above said holder fiat face and through said shoulder opening and a tape of flexible material having a nondrying pressure sensitive adhesive on one face thereof with said adhesive face normally covering and being in adhering contact with said holder face and said lead in said holder groove for retaining said lead from movement.

2. A writing pencil comprising a one-piece elongated holder having a relatively flat exterior face with a pair of grooves provided therein extending longitudinally of said holder, said holder face being recessed providing a pair of shoulders each at an opposite end of said holder, each of said shoulders having a bore therethrough extending After the tape is applied, the lead can.

longitudinally of said holder and contiguous with one of said grooves, a pair of Writing leads each slidably mounted in one of said grooves and extending above said holder flat face and through one of said shoulder bores and a flexible tape mounted on said holder face covering said leads and having a non-drying adhesive on one face thereof contacting and adhering to said holder and said leads for being normally attached to said holder and retaining said leads from movement, but capable of being withdrawn and reattached as desired.

3. A writing pencil comprising a holder having a relatively flat exterior face and a groove provided in said face, said holder having an end portion extending laterally therefrom adjacent said face, said holder end portion further having a bore therethrough in line and communicating with said holder groove, a lead slidably mounted in said groove and extending above said holder flat face and through said bore, and a cover of flexible material extending over said leadin said groove and having an adhesive face detachably attached to said holder face and said lead for retaining said lead from movement.

4. A writing pencil comprising a handle of a relatively flat elongated configuration, said handle having a semicylindrical groove provided in one exterior face thereof and extending longitudinally of said handle, a cylindrically shaped Writing lead slidably mounted in said groove with a portion thereof extending above said handle and a flexible cover extending over said lead and a non-drying adhesive on a portion of said cover normally adhering to said handle and lead for detachably connecting the same to said handle and said lead for retaining the same against movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 555,690 Frost Mar. 3, 1896 1,482,300 Hansen Jan. 29, 1924 2,311,173 Hill Feb. 16, 1943 2,335,015 Lantheatune Nov. 23, 1943 2,708,902 Osrow May 24, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 251,884 Germany Ian. 17, 1912 

